The Life Beyond the Journal
by Alaia Skyhawk
Summary: Based on Winds of a New Beginning. It had been a journal carefully filled with tales of adventure; days and nights on the road, and years spent later with a family, all lovingly written by the swordsman's hand. But what was the story behind those entries?


**Alaia Skyhawk: I can probably guess what you guys are thinking. "Another new story?! She's not got the rest finished yet!" Well to be honest I was re-reading Winds of a New Beginning when I got to the chapter 'Storm Bound Stories', the one where Navi tells Link and the others a bit about what the Hero of Time did after he met up with her again. It made me realise just how sparse that bit of back story is, and also made me want to fill out the rest of the HoT's life with a story all of his own. One warning though...**

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**DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED 'WINDS OF A NEW BEGINNING'! THIS WILL CONTAIN MASSIVE SPOILERS!!**

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**I had a bit of a 'what if' idea for this, an idea which will be revealed during the first 4 'years' of the fic's timeline, heehee :D**

**Enjoy**

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**Disclaimer: I don't own the Zelda franchise or any of it characters etc etc. All I own is this fic and any OCs in it.**

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Summary: Based on Winds of a New Beginning. It had been a journal carefully filled with tales of adventure; days and nights on the road, and years spent later with a family, all lovingly written by the swordsman's hand. But what was the story behind those entries? Now is the time to find out.

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Chapter 1: A Stranger Bound for Place Unknown

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Sunlight shone down through the trees, dappled shade caressing the thatched roofs of the gathering of cottages nestled beneath their eaves. The people of the village moved about as they always did, men and their sons tending to the surrounding fields while their wives and daughters tended herb gardens or washed clothing down at the nearby riverside. It was a typical village, straddling a typical minor trade road, but it wasn't a typical traveller that came riding towards it from the south.

The men in the fields closest to the road stopped their work to regard the traveller with surprise, eyes taking in the vibrant red-brown of the young mare in whose saddle sat a blond-haired boy who could be no more than eleven years old. The rider was a youth barely more than a child, travelling _alone_ with no visible means of defending himself.

The boy glanced at them briefly, with blue eyes that held an adult's wariness behind them, before turning his attention back to the village ahead. His pace was not slow, nor did he hurry; he seemed totally unconcerned by what they might think of him.

Feeling the stares of the village men on his back, the boy sighed almost unperceivable as he continued on towards the settlement. He hated riding on regularly used roads for just this reason, but he couldn't deny he needed supplies. He would buy what he needed from this village, perhaps stay the night if he could find a suitable barn owner willing to let him use a corner, and then leave for less travelled parts. Given a few more years he would be an age that would not be seen as unusual to travel alone at, but for now his appearance lagged far behind his mind and memories. The princess had returned him to the past so that all but she, him, and the Sages would not have to remember that aborted future of suffering; also so that he might regain his 'lost time' and have the chance to be a child again, to grow as he should have grown, to live as a normal person. It hadn't worked out like that though, his memories of that banished dark future shadowing his returned youth.

He sighed again, blue eyes distant as he remembered. Six months, that was all he'd been able to bear living in Hyrule Castle Town, in the home he'd been given with a foster family. The Six Sages had all awakened in the 'past' the instant he had returned to it for the final time, all of them remembering their fight against the King of Evil. They had spread word of those events, of his struggles against the darkness, and made sure all of Hyrule knew of the Hero of Time. Despite being a child once again, he'd found himself constantly beset by well wishers and those admiring of his efforts, but he had also faced much scepticism that a mere 'child' had travelled back and forth through time to accomplish what would seem to be impossible. Only the Triforce of Courage was true proof, and the day he had revealed he still had it was the day his regained 'childhood' had come crashing to an end.

He grimaced, a hint of anger in his eyes. The instant it had been revealed that a 'child' possessed one of the Sacred Triangles he'd been whisked into the castle for his 'protection'. That had lasted all of two days, with him approaching Princess Zelda and getting her to force the matter of his being free to leave. It nearly hadn't happened, that is until she revealed that she too possessed a piece of the Triforce and had used it to pin thirty guards to the walls of the castle throne room. At that point no one was going to oppose her will on the matter, and he had been able to prepare for his journey.

He'd paid a visit to Lon Lon Ranch after that, and bought Epona who by that time was just big enough for him to ride. Malon had been understandably unsure about letting the still young Epona go, but the horse's obvious affection for him had convinced her. One last trip to the castle later, and he had ridden away from Hyrule without looking back.

He looked up at the sky, expression still distant. He still hadn't found what he was looking for, _who_ he was looking for. A year had now passed since he'd parted ways with his closest friend, a year recently marked by a series of events that had only served to remind him more of just how different he was. A snort marred the quiet air, his frown aimed at the clouds above. Once again his 'destiny' as a 'hero' had slammed itself into his path. Three days, that was all it had been to the rest of the world, but for him it had been _weeks_ of relentless racing against the clock to prevent the destruction of the land of Termina. He had lived those three days over and over and over again, returning to the start of them with the ease of just a single song played on the pale-blue and silver ocarina hidden among his bags. The Goddess of Time had once again placed a portion of her power at his command, and it had been power he had not wanted. Forced once again to be a Hero, he had done as was needed and once again had ridden away from a place where he had become a legend.

A muttered curse rose from under his breath, as he hung his head to glare at the pommel of his saddle. He hadn't _asked_ for any of this, hadn't _wanted_ any of this. Why him? Why was it that only _he_ seemed to be so 'favoured' by the Goddess of Time... He just didn't know, and chances are he would _never_ know.

He reached the edge of the village, dismounting from Epona and proceeding to lead her by her reins as he walked down the central street. He could see a barn at the edge of a pasture at the far end, and chances are he would be able to buy his supplies from the owner as well as shelter for the night if he got lucky.

Reaching the cottage that fronted the property where the barn stood, he called out to the woman knelt weeding a small vegetable garden at the front.

"Ho there. Might a traveller ask shelter for the coming night, and to buy food for the road ahead?

The woman rose to her feet, clearly surprised at seeing such a young boy all by himself.

She frowned.

"Are you travelling alone? Surely you should be with your family at your age."

Link averted his eyes, an old pain that had haunted him since the day he'd learnt he was Hylian gnawing at his heart.

"I don't have any family, nor do I know who they were. I live alone, and am perfectly capable of looking after myself." He paused, before once again meeting her now horrified gaze. "My name is Link, and please, don't pity me. This is the life I know, and I'm fine living it."

Her expression of horror at his situation faded, but the frown remained. Rising to her feet and brushing earth from her skirts, she gave him a small smile and a nod.

"You are welcome to stay the night and buy food for your journey. I will get one of my sons to prepare a stall in the barn for your horse, and I will prepare a bed for you inside the cottage for tonig-"

"That won't be necessary, I will sleep in the barn with my horse." Link had interrupted her, giving her a half bow in gratitude. "I thank you for your hospitality and kindness. Now, I will take my mount and myself to your barn; we can discuss the supplies I need once I've gotten her settled. Once again, I thank you."

He bowed once more before heading around the edge of the wall around the cottage and its garden, leading his mare through the gate into the pasture and towards the barn. Watching him go, the woman could only stare at this child who spoke and acted like an adult, a child who refused to be coddled or pitied for the harsh life he was living. Just who was this boy traveller?

---...-.--.-..-.-.-.-.-.-.....-.-.-.-.

The silence around the table was a tense one, one that no one present seemed willing to break. After putting his mare in a stall in the barn, the boy, Link as he'd now introduced himself, had come to the house and bartered for the dense, hard bread favoured by those travelling for its ease in preserving. He'd also bartered for some dry cured meat, and also for dried vegetables and a few early apples. As soon as the prices had been agreed for the supplies, the woman had insisted Link have the evening meal in the cottage with her and her family. As soon as the questions of where he was going, 'no where in particular', and why he was travelling alone, 'my reasons are not for you to concern yourselves with', were over, talk had died leaving everyone eating without uttering a word.

Link himself was aware of how tense he was making this situation, but he would rather be treated as a quiet and somewhat odd loner than face the awe and flustering that always greeted him when the people he stayed with learnt he was a Hero. Even out here, in the sparsely settled area north of the lands of Termina, word had reached of a boy in Hyrule who had travelled through time and prevented a future where powerful evil king had usurped the lands and oppressed the people. He wanted none of that, and so pretended his didn't care that the people he met thought him strange. The sooner he made it to the next Fairy Enclave the sooner he could find out if Navi was there. If she weren't, he would set off for the next one her sister had marked on a map of the world for him.

He suppressed a smile, the thought of Navi's sister, Queen Tavannia, almost making him laugh. The Queen of the Forest Fairies was a no nonsense lady, and when he'd asked for her help in finding her sister she'd immediately prodded several of her attendants to find the best map of the settled lands of the world that they could. They'd returned a few hours later, three fairies hauling a rolled up map through the air that must have weighed thirty times what they did. She'd then badgered them for ink, before proceeding to mark on the map with little pairs of handprints all the places where the Forest Fairies had enclaves. Even if Navi weren't at one of them, there was a chance that someone at one of those enclaves could say where she'd last been seen.

Finishing the last of his food, Link rose to his feet and as before executed a half bow to the woman and her husband before speaking.

"Thank you for the meal, it is much appreciated. Now, if you do not mind, I will excuse myself. It's clear my presence is causing discomfort."

The woman stood up as well, stepping to make him pause in his path towards the cottage's back door.

"Must you leave tomorrow? Both you and your horse are young, and travelling the road is harsh. At the very least let your mount spend a day resting. You might lame her if you push her too hard."

Link glanced up at her, for all his small size regarding her with solemn thought before nodding.

"You're right, it has been a while since she's had a proper rest. I am in no rush, so I see no reason not to extend my stay for an additional night." He headed for the back door again, this time sidestepping her when she tried to get him to pause again. "Thank you for your kind offer."

Once again she was left staring at his back as he disappeared from sight, and once again she could only wonder. This boy wanted no new stranger close to him, didn't trust anyone enough to let them close. What had made him be this way?

---...-.--.-..-.-.-.-.-.-.....-.-.-.-.

It was distant blue eyes that watched the young auburn mare charging about the pasture, her white mane and tail streaming out behind her as her joyous whinny rang out. Epona was clearly enjoying her break, and making the most of the company of the other horses that resided in the pasture. Even now she teased another youngster into a headlong race, one that she easily won with her long legs and matchless stride.

He sighed, contented.

"You really care about your horse, don't you."

Link flinched, jerking round to stare at the youth that had come up behind him. It was the youngest of the family's three sons, a brown haired brown eyed fourteen your old by the name of Devran. Sighing again as the teenager sat himself down on the wall beside him, Link relented and broke his silence.

"She's my best friend, and the two of us have gone through a lot together. She won't remember most of it though, silly thing."

He smiled to himself as Devran chuckled, knowing the other youth would have no idea the full meaning of that phrase. Weeks worth of aborted future, and weeks worth of relived trio of days, would all be unknown to the horse. But despite that lost time of bonding with her and gaining her faith in him, she still trusted him just as much despite it.

Still chuckling, Devran grinned.

"Aye, for a horse the world is nothing but sun, rain, and a pasture full of grass, with a bit of work thrown in here and there. I saw her nuzzling you this morning though, when you let her off to run in the pasture. She likes you as much you do her."

"I don't doubt it."

Devran frowned, as silence once again fell. It was becoming habit with this strange visitor.

"So is it true? That you don't know who your family are?"

Link remained still, before grimacing.

"Fine, I'll answer. Yes, it's true. I was entrusted to someone as a baby... by my mother who had been mortally injured in an attack on our village. That person raised me alongside their own children, but it wasn't until years later I learnt they weren't my real family. I went my own way after that."

"That must have been hard on you..."

"I was and still is, but I'll live."

Devran stared at him, Link gazing sadly up at the unclouded sky. Coming to a decision, he grabbed Link by the arm and dragged him towards the barn, grinning.

"Dad said I could have the afternoon off today, so let's go down to the river and fish. Have you ever fished before?"

Link's expression, started at suddenly being hauled along, smoothed into a smile.

"Sure, I've fished. I'm pretty good at it too."

---...-.--.-..-.-.-.-.-.-.....-.-.-.-.

"Whoa, how do you do that? That's the fifth one!"

Link grinned at Devran's expression of shock, as he hefted yet another fish as long as his forearm into the trap in the water that held their catches. They'd been here for two hours, with the local boy only catching two smaller fish to Link's five monsters. Still grinning, he re-baited his hook, eyed up the rippled eddies in the river's flow, and cast his line once more.

"You have to know what sort of places the fish like to hide, and cast the bait just upstream of them so they don't startle at the splash. Then, when the food drifts by overhead, if a fish sees it they dart out of hiding to eat it and get snagged." He pointed to where his bait-loaded hook drifted past a partially submerged log. "See that? Fish like to hide under logs because it protects them from birds that dive to catch them. Four of my fish have come from under there, but I think the ones left there are catching on now that bait floating past means trouble. My last fish came from that pool just downstream of the log, under that willow tree. Let's see if I can get another."

The floating bait reached the pool, Link gently twitching the line. Tense seconds later ripples spread out from the bait, followed by a splash as the visitor yanked on his rod and firmly set the hook in the mouth of the fish that had just grabbed it.

Devran watched as Link skilfully battled the fish, wearing it out until it barely flopped about when he lifted it from the water.

"Thanks for the tips, I'll remember them. Hey, let me try it this time." A harsh clanging suddenly reached their ear, the farmer's son turning sharply to face the village with wide eyes. "The alarm bell! Bandits! Bandits are attacking the village!"

He dropped his fishing pole, lunging up the bank and dashing off across the fields with Link in close pursuit. Catching up to him just as the older boy got to the edge of the village, Link yanked him into cover and hissed at him.

"Are you crazy? You're unarmed, and if you charge out there as you are all you'll do is get yourself killed!"

Screams could be heard, and crashing as the bandits ransacked homes in search of money and loot. Devran looked desperate.

"But the village! I have to do something!"

Link regarded him for a long moment, before his expression hardened.

"Stay here, I need to get something from the barn."

The local boy stared at him, confused.

"But what can _you_ do? You're smaller than me, and if _I_ can't do anything, how can you help?"

"Just trust me, I can deal with this."

"Link! Wait!"

Link ran off, leaving Devran crouched among the water barrels at the rear of his family's cottage. Upon reaching the barn he darted to where he'd hung his saddlebacks, lifting one oddly flat, broad, and long cloth bundle from where it was still tied to the back of the saddle. Yanking on the ropes that held it closed, he spilled its contents to the straw strewn floor.

A sword and shield clattered to the ground, along with a bow and quiver, and other various tools. He'd abandoned his slingshot and boomerang shortly after leaving Hyrule, instead building up his strength and choosing to wield the adult weapons until now he had no trouble at all in using them despite being only a few inches taller than he'd been before. He'd concealed them before approaching the town because he hadn't wanted to scare anyone, but now he needed them.

Donning them with practiced ease, he raced out of the barn and towards where smoke was starting to rise from some of the cottages at the far end of the village. The bandits, having ransacked those homes, had then set them on fire. His expression was determined when he passed the cottage, Devran gaping at the sight of the eleven-year-old traveller charging past heavily armed. Link heard him get up and follow, but ignored him. With the village starting to burn, he didn't have time to waste making the other boy stay put.

Link didn't stop his mad dash until he had the bandits in sight, only then coming to a halt barely winded from his run. Lifting his bow from his shoulder and plucking an arrow from his quiver, Link set it to the string ready before shouting out.

"I am ordering you to stop your attack on this village! If you do not, then you will face the consequences!"

All of the bandits stopped and turned, several coming out of the homes they were currently ransacking as their leader took one look at the child facing them and began to laugh.

"A _child?_ A child is telling us to stop? Hahahaha, is this the best this village has? A little boy with his toy bow?"

Link's eyes narrowed, as he put a small amount of tension on the bowstring, the prelude to actually drawing it.

"I warn you one last time, cease your attack or you will pay the price. Only a _fool _underestimates his opponent, and you are grossly underestimating _me_..."

The leader continued to laugh, as the cowering villagers nearby stared in horror as the man brandished his sword.

"I think that you are just a little boy who believes those old stories about good always defeating evil no matter the odds." He pointed the blade's tip at Link. "And now, you will _die!_"

"...Don't say I didn't warn you..."

In the blink of an eye Link drew the bow, aimed, and fired not once, but twice... The first arrow took the bandit leader in the throat, the second took him in the heart. Watching as their leader choked before dropping to the ground, dead, the remaining bandits remained still for a moment before with a yell of rage they drew weapons and charged at the boy who had just killed him.

Link began to back up, returning his bow to his back, before he drew sword and shield and reversed his direction to charge at them himself. Ducking under the first mad swings, he gutted three of them before rolling out of the pile up to reassess his position before striking again. The next pass saw three more fall to his blade, only a few minor touches making it past his guard to nick at shoulders and hip.

Ignoring the tears in his clothing, and the blood that dotted the cloth around them, Link counted the remaining bandits as he took note of his own condition. His right shoulder had been cut a little deeper than he'd initially thought, it would be hard to maintain his guard on that side against the number of bandits left. He couldn't defeat them with weapons now, his injuries would prevent that, which meant he had to use the other card up his sleeve... magic...

Dropping both sword and shield, Link cupped his hands before him, putting one foot back into a half crouch as his whispered incantation was drowned out by the roar of the bandits descending upon him... and moments later that roar transformed into a chorus of screams at what was unleashed upon them.

They had burned the homes they'd raided... Link now burned _them_...

The blast of fire erupted from Link's cupped hands as he thrust them towards the attackers, the blaze carefully shaped to run the length of the street without touching any of the buildings either side. When it disappeared, all that was left of the bandits was ash.

Link lowered his hands, staggering from the huge expenditure of energy the spell had required of his immature body. He wouldn't be casting normal magic for a while. Still standing there panting, he stooped down to retrieve his sword and shield and returned them to his back, as one by one the villagers emerged from hiding to stand in the street staring at him.

Devran was the only one to approach him, eyes still wide in shock that this boy three years his junior had just defeated an entire bandit raiding party.. alone.

"...Link?

Knowing he would have to explain it all regardless, Link closed his eyes and sighed before lifting his left hand to his chest, the three triangle symbol of the Triforce appearing on the back of it in glowing gold.

"...Triforce of Courage... put out the fires..."

Golden light swept out from him, washing over buildings and smothering flames until only faint trails of smoke from scorched timbers rose into the sky. Once they were all put out, the Hero turned his gaze to the local boy.

"I'm sorry I never said anything, but I didn't want to draw attention to myself."

He staggered again, a wave of exhaustion sweeping over him making his vision go grey.

Devran caught him, whispering as Link's eyelids began to droop.

"Who are you? Who are you really?"

Link answered, before finally slumping unconscious.

"...I am... the Hero... of Time."

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It was several nervous sets of eyes that kept glancing at the unconscious boy laid on the bed in the corner of the room, Devran's family not sure what to make of the revelation that the youth was the 'Hero of Time', the child said to have travelled back and forth between the present and a dark future that his actions had prevented from ever actually happening. Now asleep, it was clear to them just _how _guarded Link had been while he was awake, for now in sleep his expression showed only peace shadowed with exhaustion. This boy had faced so much, and was still facing it.

A short while later Link began to stir, opening his eyes and sitting up with a groan that brought all eyes to bear on him. The moment he saw their stares his expression darkened, his frown only emphasising his bleak expression. In that moment, as his family stared at Link, Devran understood why Link had hidden who he was.

He hated it when people stared at him the way they were staring at him now... He hated it when all people saw was the 'Hero', and not the person beneath.

Devran got to his feet, unceremoniously picking Link up and carrying him out of the house and to the barn, his mother shouting implications behind him. When he got there he set Link down near the stall holding Epona, a small smile tugging at his mouth.

"I'll go get the supplies you paid for and bring them here, and I'll keep everyone out of the barn until you leave. I won't let anyone bother you."

Blue eyes gazed up at him, as Link paused and smiled in return.

"Thank you. It means a lot to me, for someone to understand my point of view on this." He looked down at his hands, his smile fading. "People see only the Hero, not the child, and not the man inside that child." Devran blinked, Link looking up at him once again. "Surely if you recall what you've heard of me you'd know I travelled through time, stopped a dark future from happening... but that future would have been six years from now, seven back when I actually stopped it, and in that future I was seventeen, not ten. I was returned to the past to 'regain my lost time', but I'd already lost it. I have my 'childhood' back, but except in body I'm no child anymore. I remember that future, and all the horrors in it, and being in Hyrule, and around people who praise me as the Hero of Time, only reminds me of it which is why I left." He bit his lip, once again looking away. "But I'd much rather forget, forget that future and return to where I grew up, but... I can't."

Devran's whisper reached his ears; the fourteen year old, who was at the midpoint between the age Link was now and the age he'd been in that future, realising just what the Hero meant.

"You feel trapped by your destiny as a Hero. You don't want to be the 'Hero of Time' for the rest of your life, but you can't go back to what you were either. You're stuck, right in the middle." Link continued to stare at the floor as the farmer's son continued. "But you know, being in the middle isn't that bad really. When you're in the middle, stuck between what you were and what people want you to be, you can still chose a new path for yourself and make it your own."

Link looked up, startled.

"What?"

Devran's smile widened.

"You might not be able to change what destiny has planned for you, but you can still decide what to do along the way. Be yourself, and don't worry what other people think. If they want to be jerks and stare at you, let them, after all, all they're doing when gaping at you is catching flies."

The Hero stared at him for a moment more, before he began to laugh. Shaking his head a little as he continued to chuckle, he grinned back.

"You know, you're right... Thank you, Devran, for helping this eighteen-year-old eleven-year-old get his head back on straight. I'd lost sight of myself after all that's happened to me the last few weeks, and you've helped me get back on track."

Devran nodded, still smiling.

"You get yourself sorted and I'll go get your supplies. If you feel up for it, I think we can probably get you out of here without anyone noticing and raising a fuss."

The fourteen-year-old walked out of the barn, Link taking a deep breath before getting up and starting to saddle Epona. When Devran came back with the food and also his weapons from the house, it was only ten minutes later that Link was once again riding south into the coming evening as the teenager waved him farewell.

It was thus that night, for the first time since leaving Termina, Link pulled his leather-bound journal from his bags and began to write in it his thoughts of what he'd learned this day, and of his brighter view of his future and whatever 'Destiny' might still have in store for him.

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Wow... this is LONG. Over 5 thousand words! O.o Still, I think it's a great opening chapter for my newest fic. Happy reading :D**


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